Dry-pipe valve.



P.,EVANS. DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICAUON FILED DEC. Il. 1913.

1 ,226,488. Patented May 15, 1917.

7 SHEETS-SHEET I.

Mms@- Lm@ OuQZ Eva/ne. 975%@ @y wnfya- P. EVANS.

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED 0m11.191s.

Patented May 15, 1917.

SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' P. EVANS.

DRYPIPEVALVE.

v APPLLCATION FILED DEC- H. 1913.

YSHEETS-SHEET 3.

I. EVANS.

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED DEC. 1I, 1913.

LQQASsS Wwsscsf mw.

P. EVANS.

DRY PlPE VALVE.

MPL10/111011 msn 1150.11, 1913.

P. EVANS.

DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICATION FILED 0m11.191s.

Patented May 15, 19N.

` TSHEETS-SHEET 6.

P. EVANS. DRY PIPE VALVE.

APPLICATlON FILED DEC. 1 ISIS.

Patened May 15, 1917.

SHEETS-SHEET mwsem.

' POWELL EVANS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSIGNf MENTS, TO GLOBE AUTOMATIC SPRINKLER COMPANY, F IP:t1ILADELE'HI,'L 'PENN- SYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF PENNSYLVANIA. l

DRYJPPE. VALVE.

specification of Letters Patent. Patented May 15, 1911 Application filed December 11, 1913. Serial No. 805,999.

To all rwhom t 'may concern:

le it known that l, Pownm. Evans, a citizen ot the llnited States, residingl in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Dry-Pipe. Valves,

ot which the following is a specification.

`One object of this invention is to provide a. relatively simple and substantial form ot dry pipe valve for use in ,tire extinguishingA systems, whose construction shall be such as to render its operation certain when the pressure in the air containing portion of the vsystem is reduced to a predetermined point, the parts being so constructed and disposed as to permit ot the valves and their connecting mechanism being reset, a't'ter the apparatus has operated, with the utmost ease and certainty.

A further object of the invention is to provide a novel, reliable and substantial dry pipe valve of the type in which a weighted element outside of the main casing is operatively connected to the mechanism within the same, which shall embody a chain ot v members operatively connecting the two valves or clal'ipers and including one member automatically adjustable to compensate for wear, lost motionor irregularities ot' construction. y

These objects and other advantageous ends I secure as hereinafter .set forth, reference being had to the accompanying drawings. in which :f-

Figure l is a. vertical section of a dry pipe valve Constructed according to my invention and illustrating the various parts in their set positions;

Fig. 2 is a vertical section similar to Fig. l', illustrating the parts in the positions oc- 40 copied after the valve has operated;

F and 4- are vertical sections of modiied toi-ms ot my invention;

Figs. 5 and (l are respectively a side and a rear elevation of certain detail 'parts ot' one form of the invention; N y y P' is a perspective view of another Fig.. t part l r Figs. 8 and 9 arevertical sections showing another form 'ot my invention in its set and 5 0 open positions respectively, and

Fig. 10 is a vertical section on the line a-(zv Fig. 8. p

In Figs. l and 2 ofthe above'draivingsnl reil'n'esents a' suitably formed casing having opening in the bottom of said intermediate chamber and communicating with a suitable source ot water under relatively high pres.-

sure. The casing l also'has'a flanged outlet openinglt from the top of the air chamber and has a side opening from the saine chamber. which is normallyv closed b v a. plateor a hinged door (not shown). The intermediate chamber 4 likewise has a side opening also normally closed by any suitable means.

toni'ined between the fitting 5 and the shoulder ot with the opening into the chamber Lise ring` ll serving to clamp an annular diaphragm 12 between its upper edge and said shoulder, and, this diaphragm at its center carries a second ring or sleeve 13 constituting a `seat for the watervalve 15. This ring, by reason ot the resilient support-provided.

an annular recess concentric by the diaphragm. providesa more or @less s center ot its top .face is inserted a buffer 1S designed to i'nevent shock orvinjury when it is violentlyr turned ony its pivotV pin 17 and caused to swike the casing, which is provided with a i'irojecting lug 19 tor coaction with the bu'lier. This latter may be made of any desired and suitablematerlal such as rubber orl sott material.

The side of the valve t pposite that having the hinge lugs 1G has a projecting stop in members hereafter de the vi'orm oi' an adjustable stud 2l and Said valve is also designed to cooperate With-r.

tumbler'l 29., rotatably mounted on a lever 23, which is pivoted by a transverse pin olf-spindle 24 to the casing structure l.

This lever "2f Valso carriestwo stopslfstlad -Zttot which thevtirst eo'perates'iwith the upper part of the tumbl'eit to limit its move- V with the stu l the same.

ment on its ivot, `while the second co-acts 21 of the valve 15 to limit the movement of the lever toward the same. Said lever is formed of twogparallel and preferably integral arms whose upper ends .are connected by a pin or spindle 27 on which is hinged an arm 28 carrying a weight 29 on its outer end. i

This arm projects through an opening in one side of the casing 1 and immediately adjacent its hinge pin 27 is laterally extended to form a valve 30, which under certaincon-v ditions fits a suitably formed seat 31 mounted in this opening, and before it seats, may also engage apart of the lever 23 to move The weight 29 is preferably a metallic casting of. suitable mass retained on the extremity of the arm 28 by'a nut 32 and provided with an insert 33 ofl suitable material to form a buffer at that point Where under operating conditions 1t strikes the outside of the casing 1. The arm 28 adjacent the-bearin for the pivotpin 27 has a lug 34 so place and formed as to coperate with a trigger 35 pivoted by a pin 36 io an sir-controlled device in the form of a controlling valve 37 which normally closes an opening through the partition 2, and is movably connected to said partition'by a hinge or iv'ot pin 38. l

aid valve is prevented from rising more than a relatively short predetermined distance from its seat, and is also prevented from reseating automatically after it has once risen, by a hooked arm 39, preferably fixed to or formed as part of the triggeru 35 and designed to engage a pin 40-carried by a downwardly projecting Ing 41, when the' valve has opened to a predetermined extent. The trigger 35 has an extension 42 operating in 'a slot formed in a projection 43 from the under face of the controlling valve 37,v the arrangement being such that said trigger and the hooked arm 39 have a relatively' also hinged orlpivoted to the partltion 2 by the pin 38 and .coperntes with a seat .8 v mounted in a second opening of said partik tionto one side of the vertical line through the seat 13 carried by the diaphragm 12, bcingprovided` with a suitable buffer 45 at that point thereof where it comes into en gagement with Ithe projectingA lug 9 at one side of the casing 1, when in its fully opened assegna position. The weighted end of the arm 28 auxiliary casing 46 hinged to the main cas- '1s jgireferably inclosed by a suitably formed ing 1 at 47, and'preferably provided at its lower end with a slotted lug 48 designedy tol receive a perforated hasp-like lug 49 enraged by a lock 59.

vhe various parts are so designed and constructed that when it is desired to set the apparatus, the door or plates closing the two chambers 3 and 4 is opened, after which the valves or clappers 15 and 44 may lee` placed in their closed positions upon the seat with which they co-act, the controlling valve 37 being at all times in engagement with its sent, except under conditional hereafter noted. The chambers 3 and 4 being then closed, air from any suitable source is ad.-

first of said chambers. By openingth'e auxiliary' casing 46 the weight 29 and with it sov 'mitted to the sprinkler system and-to the the :i1-m28 may be raised andvpushed inwardly from the position shown in Fig. 2 to that shown in Fig..1, thus moving the double lever 23 onits pivot pin 24 toward the elapper 15. The inward movement of these parts is limited by the engagement of the stop 26 with the stud 21, although be fore this condition exists the lug 34 on the arm 28 passes under thehooked end of the trigger 35, which temporarily turns on its pivot pin 3G to allow such passage.

If the controlling valve 37 should be held open by reason of the engagement of the hooked arm 39 with the pm 40, this movement of the trigger would free these parts, allowing said valve to close.` At-the same time the projecting part 20 of'theclapper 15 engages the tumbler 22 and it ,is to be noted that the point of this engagement is slightly tothe right side of the line connccting'the centers of the pivot 24 and of the pin upon which. the tumbler 22 is mounted. The weight 29 may new be released,

whereupon the various parts remain in the positions shown in Fig. 1, since the lever 23 under theseA conditions serves as a fixed supporting structure for arm 28 whose projecting lug 34 engages the hooked end of 'the trigger 35, so as to tend to cause opening of the controlling valve 3,7, under the action of' said weight.

Moreover, the various parts arevso designed that when in their set positions the. water valve 15 tightly engages and closely fits its yieldingly mounted seat ring 13, though it dcflccts the diaphragm 1.2 to a greater or less extent, depending upon the adjustment and the amount oi lost motion and wear between the various parts. Water under pressure may now he admitted to the piping system in connection with the fitting 5, since with :1.prcdetermined air pressure in the sprinkler system. say of ten pounds to the square inch the 'l'oi'ce exerted on thecontrolling valve 37 is sufficient to maintain it closed against the opening force exerted by the Weight 29, plus that exerted by the Water acting on the valve 15 and transmitted through the tumbler 22, the lever 23 and the lug 34.

lVhen the air pressure in tlre chamber 3 falls to a predetermined point, as, for example, when one of the sprinklers of the system is opened (or an accidental leakage occurs), the combined force above noted causes the controlling valve 3T to slightly open by turning on its pivot pin 38, although the amount of this opening is just sufficient to permit of the lug 34 passing out of engagement with the hooked end ofthe trigger 5- further opening of the valve being stopped because the hooked end of the arm 39 drops into engagement with the pin 40 (as shown in Fig. 2l. This raising of the controlling valve, however, allows the arm 28 with its weightf29, to turn on the pin 27 as a pivot until the lower part of the valve 30 strikes the lever 23 and exerts thereon a force tending to move it on its pivot pin 24, away from the valve 15. Such movement permits the projecting end 2O to clear the tumbler 22, leaving the valve 15 free to move to its fully opened position, whereupon the water from the supply system enters the intermediate chamber i and, after opening the valve 44, passes into the air chamber 3 and thence into p' the sprinkler system.

The continued movement of the lever 23 with the arm 28 permits the valve 30 to seat itself on the ring 31 and thus prevents es- Cape of water through the same opening for saidarm` and under these conditions the'y partsI of the device occupy the positions .shown in Fig. 2.

Upon the cessation of the water flow through the apparatus, the parts may be setI as previously described, there being profy videda drip outlet opening 50 in the lower part of the casing 1 to permit of the escape of water therefrom before the opening of the main door or removal of the cover plates. I also provide an 'opening 51 into the intermediate chamber, for reception of the pipe leading to an alarmwalve and in the cham,-k ber 3 provide an opening 52 conneetedto a source of supply of air under pressure.

In"that`.form 'of my invention shown in Fig. 3, I employ but a single Valve 44 in theA partition 2a between the intermediate chamber 4' and the air chamber 3a, making this serve the functions of the main air valve 44, as well as lthose of the controlling valve 37. For this purpose I mount on'its under sidea trigger 35 having limited pivotal movement and designed to engage a lug 34 on a`weigh'ted arm 28 in the same manner as described in connection with the apparatus shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Thevalve 44a is'preferably placed in the partition 2a to one side of the center line of the seat 13 for the water valve 15, which is held in its closed position by a chain of elements including a double lever 23a, a tumbler 22u and a weighted arm 28a, similar except as to slight differences in form, to the correspond ingvpa-rts in the other form of my invention. As before, the weight 29a exerts an opening force on the valve aan and when the latter opens, turns on its pivot 27, thereafter acting on the lever 23:L to move it away from the Water valve 15. f

In the third form of my invention shown in Fig. 4, I control the opening of the water valve 15 by means of a flexible diaphragm 55 clamped by a ring 5() in a suitable opening in the partition 2b between the intermediate and air chambers of the casing 1". In this Case I provide a main air valve 4l." similar to the valve 4i Fig. 1, and pi vot to the central portion of the diaphragm 55 a trigger whose movement on its pivot pin is limited by a slotted arm 43a. YVhen the apparatus is set, said trigger engages a lug 34a on the arm 2Sb in a manner practically identical with that heretofore described.

Ordinarily the air pressure in the chamber 3b maintains the air-controlled device formed by the diaphragm 55 in such position that 'its trigger 35h, through the lug 34a, holds the weighted arm 28" in its raised position and maintains the double lever 23 in such a position as to cause the tumbler 22 to hold the watervalve 15 closed. lVhen, however, the air pressure in this chamber falls below th predetermined point, the

diaphragm delects sufliciently to withdraw the trigger 35" from engagement with .the

parts are so designed as to permit of their fi rapid and easy setting after the two clappers have been closed, it being onlyV necessary to raise the weight 29b and move the arm 281 into the casing, whereupon the lug 34a passes under the trigger 35b and the tumbler 22 engages. the clapper 15, so that as soon as the air pressure is admitted to the chamber 3", said clapper is held closed.

In that form of my invention shown in Figs. 8, 9 and 10,-I have illustrated a relatively simple arrangement of parts, which' like that of Fig. 3, includes a yieldingly mounted 'seat 13 for the water valve 15e, together' with a tumbler 22c nrounted so as to have limited rotation on a double lever 2.-? pivoted to the casing 1c 'at'2ic and hinged to an arm 28c by a pivot vpin 27. This arm carries'lan elongated weight 29. and is provided adjacent its pivot 27 With Y extension in which said arm operates. Said casing is pivoted or hinged to the main -asing by a hinge structure 47.

Under conditions of operation, the various parts-behave as previously described in connection with that forni of my invention shown in Fig. 3, the weighted arm 28 when allowed to fall by the raising of the valve 44 and trigger 35, turning downwardly until it engages the lever 23 which it thereafter turns on its pivot 24 away from the water v alve 15. This latter is thus cleared by the tumbler 22 and is free to open under the water pressure acting in the fitting and valve seat 13, so that the' water iiows through the intermediate chamber 4 and the outlet 6. Under these conditions the various parts occupy the positions shown in Fig. 9.

As before. in setting the apparatus, after the casing i6 is opened, the water and air valves may be moved to their closed .positioiis, it being necessary to remove'a cover plate 60. '.lhereafter the hooked end of the lweighted arm 28 :may be caused to pass under the trigger 35 until the stop 26 engages the water valve, whereupon said arnimay be released, thus leaving the parts in the set positions shown in Fig. 8. In

.this instance, as well as in the lothers previously described, the tumbler 22 is kept by its stop 25 from moving out of its pree determined position so that it is necessarily engaged in the proper manner by the water valve 15.

It is to be understood that the design 'and proportions of the various levers and the placing of their pivots will-be determined by the particularpressures of air and water employed in the systems of which the apparatus forms a part, and may be widely varied withont'departing from my invention.

It is to be particularly noted, however,

i. that the yielding support for the seat ring `13 provided by the diaphragm 12, permits the water valve l5 to make a tight joint with said ring in spite ot' slight inaccuracies in the dimensions or in the engagement of the various eo-aeting parts above described, so that leakage is eli'ectively pre-..W vented. I i

It is Afurther noted that the stop 26, by

engaging the vstud 21 of the valve l5 when the parts are being set, insures the lever 23 being so positioned that the projection 34 of the arm 28 may be conveniently and certainly brought into and held in the proper position to engage the hooked end of the trigger 35 when the valve-37 isv closed; it being thus possible to set the parts in -a short time and yet without possibility of tlieirbeing engaged in than the proper operative positions. A One of the important features of the invention resides in the peculiar construction and combnatioii ot the lever 23 and:

weighted arm '28, for. it A.will be noted that di the latter under normal conditions vacts through its projection 34, merely'asla lever'; iulerunuul on the pivot pin 2T and exerting an opening force on the valve 34. lVhen,

however. the trigger has disengaged said projection and the weighted arm has fallen 'so that its valve 30er other suitable part other 7 5 way through the val've` finally occupying a position. in the case shown in Figs. .l to 7, in which said valve 3() closes the opening in the casing.

l. The combination in a dry pipe valve of a casing; a water valve; an air-controlled device; and mechanism operatively connectmg said valve and said device ncliiding a lever having a member normally holding the valve shut; and a weightedarm pro- 1 .Jectnig outside the casingyand mounted on the lever in position to beoperative onthe' :iii-controlled device to move the same ,with

2; The combination ini: dry pipe'valve of a part integral with saily weighted arm for a water nivo; an air-colitrolled device; 'and 11o mechanism operativelyi connecting i said valve and said device including a lever having a member normallyholding the valve shut; a weighted arm moiinA d onthe lever and' operative on the air-ciitrolleddevico 115 toitend to niove the same independently ofU the `valve and said levefrgl'yyitlifmeansor causing said weighted erin 'to'- v engggeand turn the lever. enf its pivot'nnder pi'edeter-- f mined conditionsff.' i f l fizo 3. The combination in a dry pipevalve 2:,

a yieldingly supported v alvegun air-controlled devicemid mechanism connecting said valveniiddovice including'a lever oper# ative on the valve to keep it shut; said -mechanism including a weighted arm mounted on said lever; with' a member `anouiitiqd on the nir-controlledf.device Aand 4. The combination ina dry pipe valve'io of a water valve; an air-controlled device; and mechanism operatively connecting said valve andsaid device, the same `including a lever normally holding theivater valve shut; Withy a weighted arm fulcrumed on said lever and operative on .said valve, said. arm having a projection placed to engage and turn the lever on. its pivot under predeterminedconditions.

5.j'l`he combination in awdry pipe valve of a Water valvega stud adjustably threaded into the top portion of said valve; an air controlled device; mechanism operatively connecting said valveand said device including a lever having a structure placed to detachably engage the Water valve; a member connected to said lever and operative on the air controlled device; with a stop on the lever above its valve-engaging structure in position to engage the stud on the Water valve t'o limit the movement of said lever toward said valve.

6. The combination in a. dry pipe valve of a Water valve; 'an air-controlled device; and mechanism operativelyY connecting said valve and said device, the same including a lever tulcrumed at one side oi' the Water valve Yand having a rotatable tumbler en* gaging the same. to keep it shut; with a Weighted arm fulcrumed tothe free end of the lever and detachably operative 'on the air-controlled device.

7. The combination in a dry pipe valve of a casing structure; a Water valve; an aircontrolled device; and mechanism connect` ing said valve and said device, the same including a member movably mounted adjacent the Watervalve; an element rotatably mounted on said member and having two eccentric portions, of which one is placed to act on the Water valve to keep it shut; With a stop yon said member placed to engage the second eccentric portion of said element to limit the rotary movement thereof.

8. The combination in a dry pipe valve of a Water valve; an air-controlled device; a

lever mounted adjacent the Water valve; a

tumbler rotatably mounted on the lever and 'operative on the Water valve; and a Weighted member mounted on the lever and operative on the air-controlled device.

9. The combination in a dry pipe valve of a casing; water, air and controlling valves respectively Within saidrtcasing; mechanism connecting the water valve and the controly' ling valve, including a Weighted member ivoted in butgextending outside of, the casing through an opening therein; with a fourth valve for closing saidy opening under operating conditions.

10. rllhe combination in a dry pipe valve of a casing.; a Water valve, an air valve and a controlling valve mounted therein; mechaniem yconnecting the Water 'valve and the controlling valve. and including a lever normally opeartive to hold the water valve shut; with a member Atulcrunied on said lever and tending to open the controlling valve, said member having a portion extending tlnrough an opening in the casing and being provided with a valve for closing said opening when the water valve is open.

AIll. The combination in. a dry pipe valve of. a casing; a Water valve, an air valve, and a controlling valve vmounted therein; mechanism connecting the water valve and the' controlling valve, the same. including a lever for normally holding the water valve shut; f

a second lever -iulcrumed on the first lever and extending through an opening in the casing; a trigger mounted ou the controlling valve and engaged by said second lever; a weight fixed to the second lever outside of the casing; and a` falve carried by said ,sec-k ond lever tor closing the opening Whenthe water valve 1s open.A

12, The combination in a dry pipe valve and supporting said means; and a devicey normally held by the trigger in position to maintain the Water valve closed.

13. The combination in a dry pipe valve of a Water valve; a'n air valve; mechanism operatively connecting said valves, the same including a lever having means operative to hold the Water valve sluit; a Weightedlever projecting through an opening in the casing and fulcrumed to the lirst lever; a valve on the weighted lever for closing the opening and formed to engage the first lever to move the same before seating; and air-controlled means acting on said parts to normally maintain the water valve closed.

1li.` The combination in a dry pipe valve of a casing; a water valve therein; a device movable when the air pressure in the casing falls below a predetermined point; and means for connecting said device to the Water valve to normally hold the latter shut, the same including a lever; a rotary tumbler mounted on said leverirnposition to engage the Water valve; and two stops on the 'lever respectively in positions to engage the tumbler and to limit movement of the lever toward the Water valve. 15. The combination in a dry pipe valv of a casing; a, Water' valve therein; and airof an air controlled device; a water valve; mechanism connecting said parts and inelndinga weighted member tending to move the air controlled device; with asecond member normally holding the valve closed and carrying said weighted member so as to he positively moved thereby upon the release of the air controlled device.

17. The combination in a' dry pipe valve of a casing; a 'ater valve therein; a device movable when the air pressure in' thc-casing falls below a predetermined point; and means for connecting said device to the \\'ater valve to normally hold it shut, thesame including a lever; a cam-Shaped struclnre rotatably mounted on said levery and havingY tivo shoulders of which one 1s placed to eng-ige the water valve. and means placed to engage, the seeoinl shoulder of Said struclure to linut the rotation thereof.

lo. 'lhe combination in a dry pipe valve -ot a casing structure; a water valve; an air controlled device; and mechanism operatively connecting said valve and said device, the same includingr a member pvotcd to the casing structure: a imnbler consisting of a structure havingr a shoulder and rotatably 11i: The combination in a dry pipe valveof water, air and controlling valves ;'m echanis'm connecting theI water valve and the controlling valve; wlthmeans for limiting the movement of the controlling valve consisting of a hook connected thereto; and a stud placed to be engaged by the hook when the valve is moved a. predetermined distance oil' its seat.' e

20. The combination in a dry pipe valve of Water, air and controlling valves; mechanism connecting ther water valve and controlling valve for normally holdingthe former closed; a stud; with a structure connected to the controlling valve and operative on the stud for preventing said valve rising more than a predetermined distance from its seatA 21. The combination in a dry pipe valve ofA a casing having a valve seated o enmg, an inletand an outlet; a water va vefor closing the inlet; a controlling valve; and mechanism for operatively connecting sind controlling valve and thewater valve, the same including' a pivotall""'m01med arm extending through the va ve' seated"op%ii=- ing; a valve on said arm for closing the opening; and a weight mounted on the arm outside of the casing. A

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

POWELL EVANS. Witnesses:

WmJAME. BnAnLnr, WM. A. BARR.l 

